FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT & HEALTH EQUITY

Program: Cultiv8 Agribusiness Incubator - Cultiv8Agribusiness Incubator is designed to develop equip and provide technical assistance to farmers and entrepreneurs to improve our local food ecosystem. Our program was created to meet the unique needs remove barriers and advance racial equity of African American farmers by creating a hybrid model focused on both start-ups and existing agribusinesses. The incubator aims to increase access to healthy food in underserved areas by providing support resources and technical assistance to farmers and local food entrepreneurs. FCIHE provides monthly agribusiness workshops field days and technical business planning support and project management to farmers and entrepreneurs. FCIHE currently manages Ellerbe Farmers Market Project a retail expansion effort to increase access to locally sourced produce for residents in Florence County SC. The new market will allow EVF to establish a consistent and visible presence in the community and allow SNAP recipients to purchase fresh produce and staple items produced by the vegetable farm as well as a wide variety of local raised meats grains and dairy products from other local farmers livestock raisers and cattlemen. FCIHE has assisted Ellerbe Vegetable Farm with securing funding to be used for land acquisition equipment materials supplies and construction costs for the new brick-and-mortar food retail outlet. FCIHE received funding from the United States Department of Agricultures Natural Resource and Conservation Service to provide conservation technical assistance and education to historically underserved farmers and ranchers in South Carolina. Cultiv8 provided tailored education information and access to resources that decrease the barriers to implementing conservation principles into farming practice and connect low-income food-insecure persons to local sustainable small-scale agriculture for healthy food consumption. The project decreased the barriers and needs of underserved farmers to develop sustainable and long-term solutions to implementing natural resource management. In addition FCIHE assisted the United States Department of Agriculture USDA Discrimination Financial Assistance Program and American Farmland Trust as cooperators to provide financial assistance to farmers ranchers and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDAs farm lending before January 1 2021. During the application period FCIHE provided outreach and technical assistance under cooperative agreements with USDA. This included sharing information with farmers hosting in-person events assisting producers with applications and coordinating with regional hubs and USDA to offer insights on best practices for reaching key audiences as well as providing other support and partnership for outreach efforts. Funding Associated with program: USDA NRCS American Farmland Trust and Ellerbe Vegetable Farm